Finger-grip shoe tree



June 7, 1949. B. HARRIS ETAL 2,472,074

FINGER GRIP SHOE TREES Filed Oct. 15, 1946 n il m 3 LEONARD B. HARRIS 41 18 1'1 {0 VITO R. PASCALE INVENTORS FIG.2 I W A T TORNE Y Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED 2,472,074 FINGER-GRIP SHOE TREE Leonard B. Harris and Vito R. Pascale, New York, N. Y.

Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,436

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe trees and particularly to a shoe tree having a member fittin in the toe of a shoe and a member engaging the upper extremity of the heel portion of a shoe, and manually compressible spring means for automatically urging the shoe tree members in opposite directions and without any manual adjustments in size of the shoe tree.

An object of this invention is to provide a shoe tree for various sizes of shoes which is automatically extensible without manual adjustment, and comprising toe and heel members which are resiliently pressed from each other, the shoe tree having means for manually compressing a spring for bringing the toe and heel engagin members into contracted position, whereby when the spring is released it automatically forces the opposed tree members in opposite directions into forced engagement with a shoe irrespective of the size of the shoe Another object of this invention is to provide an automatically extensible finger-grip shoe tree which requires only a single compression movement for inserting the shoe tree in a shoe of any size and which reacts with a resilient pressure. With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe tree embodying the invention and shown in operative position within a shoe, the mechanism being partly in cross-section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the shoe tree.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the toe portion of the shoe tree, the section being taken as on line 33 in Figure 2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the numeral it indicates the assembled shoe tree comprising a composite toe member H which is split vertically and lengthwise. The toe member ll consists of two halves I2 and [3 which are preferably made of sheet material and formed to provide inwardly bent horizontal flanges l4, l5 and a horizontal base Hi.

The flanges M, l 5 are in spaced-apart relation and form a guideway I 1 therebetween'. There is a substantially horizontally disposed guideway I! in each of the toe halves I2, I3. The width of the 2 respective guideways is made so as to receive in slidable relation two-looped branches l8, 18 of a strut or compression member 20.

The compression member 20 comprises a portion 2| which is angularly positioned in relation to the looped branches l8. The angularly directed portion 2| is of circular cross-section and adapted for slidable engagement in a sleeved cover 22 of an elongated housing 23. Fixed to the free end of the portion 2|, and movable inside the housing 23, there is mounted a finger grip 2A. A threaded nut 25 holds the finger grip 24 in locked position. The housing 23 has a slot 26 lengthwise thereof, the walls defining the slot being of a size to frictionally engage the side walls of the finger grip 24.

At the opposite end of the housing 23 is a sleeved cover 21. The covers 22 and 21 are in engagement with the housin 23. As shown in Figure 1, it will be seen that the cover 22 has a bearing 22 and the cover 21 has a bearing 21'.

Fixedly mounted in the cover 2'1 is a rod 28. Secured to one end of the rod 28 is an arcuate member 29 which is adapted to engage the upper extremity of a heel portion of a shoe, or the rear portion of a shoe with a strap construction.

Fixed to the end portion of the rod 28 and movable inside the housing 23 there is mounted a finger grip 30. A coil spring 3! is mounted within the housing 23 and presses against both finger grips 24 and 30. As shown in Figure 1, it will be seen that the strut member is of such an obtuse angle to cause the finger-grip members to extend above the shoe. It is thus possible for the user to engage the finger grips with two fingers of one hand and move the finger grip '24 towards the finger grip 30 to cause compression of the coil spring 3|.

This movement causes the toe and heel engaging members II and 29 to be brought into contracted position for insertion of the shoe tree into a shoe. It is clear that when the spring is released it will automatically force the opposite tree members I l and 29 in opposite directions into engagement with a shoe and maintain the shape of the shoe.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arcuate heel portion of the shoe tree comprises an arcuate shaped leaf spring 29 having a centrally positioned cavity 33 in which is a fastening device such as a rectangular end portion 34 of the rod 28. The end 34 passes through a rectangular aperture in the spring 29 and is peened over to retain the spring in a movable manner. The arcuately shaped leaf spring can thus contact inwardly of and accommodate itself to the shape of the strap or back end 35 of a shoe without damaging the strap or the shoe.

It is to be noted that the gist of this invention resides in a structure whereby a resilient pressure is automatically exerted against the opposite ends of a shoe and that there is no excessive force exerted against the toe and heel. The resilient pressure thus exerted is sufficiently,pre-controlled so as not to distort the shape of a shoe.

It is to be noted that instead of the flanges l4 and l 5 forming a guideway I1, that we may make each half of the toe members of solid material and provide slots forming guideways for the looped branches l8 of the member 20.

As best shown in Figure 3, the looped branches l8 are held in assembled relation with. the toe halves l2, l3 by pins 35 passing through the flanges l4, l5.

Figures 1 and 2 show clips 36 at the upper ends of the spring 29. The clips 36 may contact the upper edge of the strap 35 and prevent the spring 29 from dropping below the strap and out of engagement therewith.

In accordance with the patent statutes we have describedand illustrated the preferred embodiment of our invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

.1. In a one-hand actuated shoe tree comprising an angularly shaped strut member one leg of which comprises a loop-shaped end portion, a composite toe member comprising two toe engaging arms pivotally mounted on said loop-shaped endfor movement to and from each other, the other leg of said angularly-shaped strut member carrying an arcuate member adapted to engage the=upper extremity'of the heel portion of a shoe, and spring actuated means urging said toe and heel members in opposite directions, said spring actuated; means comprising a tubular housing having a -.longitudinal slot in its upper surface, bearings'secured respectively at each end of said housing, two finger grips slidable in said housing andpassing through said slot, said arcuate heel member being integral with one of said fingergrips, one leg of said strut member being integral with the other finger grip, a compression coil spring in said tubular housing pressing shaped end for movement to and from each other,

the other, leg of said angularly-shaped member carrying a resiliently expandable member and a :ooa/xially disposed arcuate member adapted to engage the upper extremity of the heel portion of a shoe, said resiliently expandable member comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal sloti-inits upper surface, bearings secured respectively at each end of said housing, two finger grips slidable inside said housing and passing outside said housing through said slot, said arcuate heel member. being integral with one of said finger grips,one leg ofsaid strut member being integral with the other finger grip, said expandable memher having a compression coil spring pressing against said finger-grip arms for extending said toe and heel members in opposite directions in a straight line, said obtuse angularly shaped strut membercaus'ing said finger-grip arms to extend above the shoe, whereby said shoe tree is insertable into or removable from a shoe while actuated by thefingers of one hand of the user.

LEONARD B. HARRIS.

VITO R. PASCALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,012 Noyes May 28, 1901 1,119,744 Bowen, Dec. 1, 1914 1,385,719 Schoshusen July 26, 1921 1;489,745 Durkee Apr. 8, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,652 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1915 269,856 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1927 723,405 France Jan. 18, 1932 

